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The ISAF Grade 3 match racing regatta is the major youth match racing event held on Sydney Harbour each year, the concept of former America's Cup skipper, World Champion and Olympic Sir James HARDY.

Torvar MIRSKY (AUS), from Royal Perth Yacht Club, has twice previously contested the Hardy Cup, placing seventh overall in 2006 to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's Michael DUNSTAN (AUS) and fourth in 2007 to Adam MINOPRIO (NZL) from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

The young West Australian recently returned from the European circuit where his results lifted him up the ISAF World Match Race Rankings, ahead of mentor Peter GILMOUR (AUS). With an ISAF ranking of #11, MIRSKY will defend his Warren Jones Regatta match racing title in Perth next week.

Defending the Hardy Cup this year is New Zealander MINOPRIO who has continued his international match racing experience over the past year, successfully defending his Asia match racing title and receiving an entry for the second time to the 2007 ISAF Grade WC Monsoon Cup, the World Match Racing Tour event in Malaysia.

He also finished second in the Knickerbocker Cup in the USA and has a current ISAF ranking of #34.

Representing the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron in the Hardy Cup will be Stuart POLLARD (AUS), who sailed impressively to place third last year behind MINOPRIO and fellow New Zealander Laurie JURY.

POLLARD and his team, Ben BARZACH, Iain QUARTLY and Kate BROWN, study business at the University of Sydney and together they came sixth in the ISAF Grade 2 TMC Dong Energy Cup 2007 in Denmark.

The second RSYS team will be formed from the Squadron's match racing rookies: Edward QUARTLY, David CHAPMAN, Jordan REECE and Nicholas HOWE. The skipper will be decided after the Auckland Youth International Match Racing Championship from 23-27 January.

QUARTLY and CHAPMAN will both compete in this event with their individual crews. The helm that has the better result in Auckland will be helming the second RSYS team in the Hardy Cup.

One of the strongest competitors for the Hardy Cup 2008 will be Evan WALKER (AUS) from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. This past year he has successfully defended his NSW Youth Match Racing Championship and gone on to win the inaugural Selangor Gapurna Youth International Match Racing regatta in Malaysia and the 2007 Australian Open Match Racing Championship.

Two women skippers will compete in the Hardy Cup 2008, Nicky SOUTER (AUS) and Nina CURTIS (AUS), both from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. SOUTER has a current ISAF women's ranking of #12.

Other skippers for the Hardy Cup 2008 are Keith SWINTON (South of Perth Yacht Club), Laurie JURY (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron), John BACK (Royal Swedish Yacht Club), Josh JUNIOR (Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, NZL) and Robert GIBBS (Royal Perth Yacht Club).